Method and system for generating data of an application with a picture

ABSTRACT

A method for generating data of an application with a picture, has the steps of authenticating that a person who makes picture-attached application data is an applicant, acquiring private information identified by identification information offered by the applicant and setting it as an application entry, embedding facial portrait authentication information for authenticating that the image data of the facial portrait represents the applicant in image data of the facial portrait to produce facial portrait data of the applicant, generating application data by adding the generated facial portrait data to the application entry set with the private information, and embedding application data authentication information for authenticating the contents of the application data in the generated application data.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a system for generating data of an application with a picture, and particularly to a technique applicable to the system for generating data of an application with a substitution prevention mark attached to a facial portrait of an applicant.

[0002] Together with the recent spread of Internet, various different processing contents such as electronic application and e-procurement have been transmitted through a network, and high value-added electronic administrative services involving government ministries, local governments, business enterprises and individuals have been improved.

[0003] A multifunctional system for local governments to offer one-stop services as the electronic administrative services issues copies of resident cards and seal registration certificates at a time, and issues them on holidays or after office hours so that the services for residents can be improved, while the load on office counter work can be reduced.

[0004] On the other hand, the facial portraits of applicants are sometimes needed to attach to the documents, such as driver's license, passport or personal history that are to be submitted to governments or private companies. In this application processing, the facial portrait offered by an applicant is required to be identified as the portrait of the applicant, and thus the counter worker compares the facial portrait and the actual face of the applicant before processing the application.

[0005] JP-A-10-285383 discloses a private information generating method and system in which private information is embedded as watermark image information in the original picture information including the portrait so that the important private information such as personal history cannot easily be exposed to third party.

[0006] In the above conventional electronic administrative services, when the facial portrait of an applicant is required to be attached to the application for a driver's license, passport, or the like, since it is difficult for a information processor to determine whether the offered facial portrait is of the identical person who has applied, the application with a facial portrait is required to be processed through a counter worker.

[0007] In the above conventional electronic administrative services, when a facial portrait is read in an information processor to produce head shot data, and attached to the application entry data to make application data with a facial portrait, the facial portrait and application entry can be substituted or the facial portrait is secretly switched with someone else's, and thus such substitution or illegality should be detected.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] It is an object of the invention to provide a technique capable of solving the above problems, and efficiently generating highly reliable data of an application with a facial portrait.

[0009] According to the invention, there is provided a system for generating data of an application with a picture, or a facial portrait, wherein private information of an applicant is set as an application entry, and authentication information is embedded in facial portrait data and application data to produce picture-attached application data.

[0010] In the system for generating data of an application with a picture according to the invention, the biometrics of a person who prepares picture-attached application data is compared with the biometrics recorded on a recording medium such as a resident card offered by the person, thereby authenticating that the person is the correct owner of the resident card, i.e., the applicant.

[0011] When the person is authenticated to be the applicant, the private information identified by the identification information such as the resident code provided within the resident card that the applicant offers is acquired from the database such as Basic Resident Register, and set as the application entry necessary for the application.

[0012] Then, the face of the applicant is photographed to produce image data by the camera incorporated in a picture-attached application data generation terminal apparatus, and facial portrait authentication information is embedded in the image data in order to authenticate that the image data shows the facial portrait of the applicant, thus producing facial portrait data of the applicant.

[0013] In addition, after the generated facial portrait data is added to the application entry set with the private information to produce application data, application data authentication information for authenticating the contents of the application data is embedded in the generated application data, thus producing picture-attached application data. This picture-attached application data thus produced is sent to the processor that accepts the application to execute the application processing.

[0014] Thus, according to the invention, since the facial portrait data has facial portrait authentication information embedded therein in order to authenticate that the image data shows the facial portrait of the applicant, the facial portrait data can be prevented from being modified dishonestly. In addition, since the picture-attached application data has application data authentication information embedded therein in order to authenticate the contents of the application data having the facial portrait data added to the application entry, the facial portrait data can be prevented from being switched.

[0015] Thus, according to the picture-attached application data generation system of the invention, since the picture-attached application data is produced by setting the private information of the applicant as an application entry and embedding authentication information in the facial portrait data and application data, highly reliable picture-attached application data can be efficiently produced.

[0016] Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of the embodiments of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017]FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing the construction for public application processing in this embodiment.

[0018]FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing the construction for nongovernmental application processing in this embodiment.

[0019]FIG. 3 is a flowchart for a main routine procedure in this embodiment.

[0020]FIG. 4 is a flowchart for an identification procedure in this embodiment.

[0021]FIG. 5 is a flowchart for an application entry procedure in this embodiment.

[0022]FIG. 6 is a flowchart for a photograph data production procedure in this embodiment.

[0023]FIG. 7 is a flowchart for an application data generation procedure in this embodiment.

[0024]FIG. 8 is a flowchart for hash value mark embedding procedure in this embodiment.

[0025]FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a completed image of an application with a facial portrait in this embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0026] A description will be made of a system for generating application data with a facial portrait according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0027]FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing the construction for a public application procedure in this embodiment. The system for generating application data with a facial portrait, as shown in FIG. 1, has a picture-attached application data generation terminal apparatus 100 and a server 110.

[0028] The picture-attached application data generation terminal apparatus 100 is an apparatus for generating application data with a facial portrait. The server 110 is a private information manager for managing private information used when the picture-attached application data is generated.

[0029] The picture-attached application data generation terminal apparatus 100 has an applicant identification processor 101, an application entry processor 102, a photograph data generation processor 103, an application data generation processor 104, an authentication information embedding processor 105, a facial portrait data input processor 106, and a facial portrait data verification request processor 107.

[0030] The applicant identification processor 101 checks if the person who prepares application data with a facial portrait is a genuine applicant. The application entry processor 102 acquires, from the server 110, private information to be identified by identification information offered by the applicant and sets it as an application entry.

[0031] The photograph data generation processor 103 embeds authentication information for facial portrait in the image data picked up as the facial portrait of the applicant so as to certify that the associated image data is the facial portrait of the applicant himself or herself, thus generating the facial portrait data of the applicant.

[0032] The application data generation processor 104 adds the above-generated facial portrait data or the facial portrait data generated when other picture-attached application data is generated to the application entry in which the private information was set as above, thus generating application data.

[0033] The authentication information embedding processor 105 embeds authentication information in the above-produced application data to authenticate the application data. The facial portrait data input processor 106 enters facial portrait data generated when other picture-attached application data is generated. The facial portrait data verification request processor 107 requests the server 110 to verify that the image data of the inputted facial portrait data is the facial portrait of the applicant.

[0034] The programs for making the picture-attached application data generation terminal apparatus 100 function as the applicant identification processor 101, application entry processor 102, photograph data generation processor 103, application data generation processor 104, authentication information embedding processor 105, facial portrait data input processor 106, and facial portrait data verification request processor 107 are recorded in a recording medium such as a CD-ROM, and stored in a magnetic disk, etc., and they are loaded in a memory before it is executed. The recording medium on which the programs are recorded may be other recording media than CD-ROM. In addition, the programs may be installed from the recording medium into an information processor or may be used by accessing to the recording medium through a network.

[0035] The server 110 has a private information supply processor 111, an authentication information generation processor 112 and a facial portrait data verification processor 113.

[0036] The private information supply processor 111 reads out the private information from a resident recording system such as Basic Resident Register so that the private information is identified by the resident code offered by the applicant who makes an application by filing picture-attached application data, and supplies it to the picture-attached application data generation terminal apparatus 100.

[0037] The authentication information generation processor 112 produces application data authentication information for authenticating the contents of the application data which is generated by adding the facial portrait data to the facial portrait authentication information for authenticating that the image data of the facial portrait shows the facial portrait of the applicant and the application entry set with the private information.

[0038] The facial portrait data certifying processor 113 refers to the facial portrait authentication information of the facial portrait data transmitted from the picture-attached application data generation terminal apparatus 100 to check if the image data is the facial portrait of the applicant.

[0039] The programs for causing the server 110 to function as the private information supply processor 111, authentication information generation processor 112 and facial portrait data certifying processor 113 are recorded on a recording medium such as a CD-ROM, stored in a magnetic disk, and loaded into a memory before they are executed. The recording medium for recording the program may be other recording media than CD-ROM. The program may be installed from the recording medium into an information processor or may be used by accessing to the recording medium through a network.

[0040]FIG. 1 shows the construction of a system for generating picture-attached application data, which is used to make public application processing such as processing for driver's license or passport. The identification information offered by the applicant is assumed to be a resident code recorded in a resident card that the applicant possesses. In addition, the private information to be identified by the resident code is assumed to be read out from the resident recording system such as Basic Resident Register, and be used as the application entry.

[0041]FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing the construction for nongovernmental application processing in this embodiment. The construction of FIG. 2 is of a system for generating picture-attached application data that is used for nongovernmental application processing such as processing in banking company or credit company. The identification information offered by the applicant is assumed to be a user code recorded in a private card that the applicant possesses. In addition, the private information to be identified with the user code is assumed to be read out from the private information database accumulated in the associated enterprise, and be used as the application entry.

[0042] A description will be made of the picture-attached application data generation system according to this embodiment, in which the resident card is used for public application such as driver's license or passport.

[0043]FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a main routine procedure in this embodiment. When the system accepts an instruction to generate picture-attached application data, the applicant identification processor 101 of the picture-attached application data generation terminal apparatus 100 makes processing for checking if the person who makes picture-attached application data is the applicant himself or herself in step 301 of FIG. 3.

[0044] In step 302, the application entry processor 102 acquires from the server 110 the private information to be identified by the identification information offered by the applicant, and sets it as application entry.

[0045] In step 303, the photograph data generation processor 103 embeds the facial portrait authentication information in the image data of the facial portrait of the applicant to authenticate that the image data is the facial portrait of the applicant, thus generating facial portrait data of the applicant.

[0046] In step 304, the application data generation processor 104 generates application data by adding to the application entry set with the private information the generated facial portrait data or the facial portrait data generated when other picture-attached application data is generated.

[0047] In step 305, the authentication information embedding processor 105 embeds the application data authentication information for authenticating the contents of the application data in the generated application data.

[0048]FIG. 4 is a flowchart of the applicant identification procedure in this embodiment. While fingerprint information is used as biometrics in the applicant identification processing of this embodiment as shown in FIG. 4, other biometrics such as voice pattern or iris may be used.

[0049] In step 401, the applicant identification processor 101 of the picture-attached application data generation terminal apparatus 100 checks if the resident card of the person who prepares the picture-attached application data is detected by an IC/magnetic card reader. If the resident card is detected, the fingerprint information as biometrics is read from the resident card.

[0050] In step 402, the fingerprint image of the person is read out, and fingerprint information such as coordinate information of core and characteristic points, direction of ridge, chip image at around the characteristic point is extracted from the read fingerprint image.

[0051] In step 403, the fingerprint information read from the resident card in step 401 is compared with the fingerprint information extracted from the fingerprint image of the person so that it is checked if they match each other. If they match, the person is decided to be the applicant, and the processing goes to the application entry processing routine. If they do not match, the processing goes to step 404.

[0052] In step 404, it is checked if retrying has been made a predetermined number of times. If it does not reach to that number yet, the processing goes back to step 402, where the fingerprint image of the person is again read out, and examined the matching.

[0053]FIG. 5 is a flowchart of the application entry processing procedure in this embodiment. In step 501, the application entry processor 102 of the picture-attached application data generation terminal apparatus 100 requests the server 110 to send the private information such as name, gender, birth date and present address to be identified by the resident code recorded in the resident card that is offered by the applicant.

[0054] The private information supply processor 111 of the server 110 reads the private information identified by the resident code from the resident recording system as the private information database, and supplies it to the picture-attached application data generation terminal apparatus 100.

[0055] In step 502, the application entry processor 102 of the picture-attached application data generation terminal apparatus 100 acquires the requested private information from the server 110, and causes a memory to store it as the application entry.

[0056] In step 503, it accepts the supply of other entry necessary for the application processing from the applicant, and makes it be held as application entry in the memory.

[0057] In step 504, it is checked if the end of the supply of other entry is indicated from the applicant. If the end of the supply is indicated, the application entry data production is finished, and the processing goes to a routine for photograph data generation processing.

[0058]FIG. 6 is a flowchart of the photograph data generation processing procedure in this embodiment. In step 601, the photograph data generation processor 103 of the picture-attached application data generation terminal apparatus 100 takes the facial portrait of the applicant by a camera incorporated in the terminal apparatus. In step 602, the photographed facial portrait is converted to digital image data. In step 603, the expiration data of the image data is calculated by adding a predetermined period of, for example, six months to the current day.

[0059] In step 604, the generated image data, the calculated expiration data of the facial portrait data and the biometrics of the applicant are sent to the server 110, and the server 110 is requested to send the facial portrait authentication information that authenticates that the image data is the facial portrait of the applicant.

[0060] The authentication information generation processor 112 of the server 110 calculates the hash value of the image data, and encrypts the hash value, the expiration data of the facial portrait, and the biometrics by use of the secret key of the server 110, thereby producing the facial portrait authentication information for authenticating that the image data of the photographed facial portrait is the facial portrait of the applicant. This facial portrait authentication information is transmitted to the picture-attached application data generation terminal apparatus 100.

[0061] The photograph data generation processor 103 of the picture-attached application data generation terminal apparatus 100 receives the facial portrait authentication information from the server 110, and embeds the facial portrait authentication information as a visualized authentication mark in the photographed image data of the facial portrait of the applicant, thus producing the facial portrait data of the applicant.

[0062] In step 605, the facial portrait authentication information received from the server 110 is deleted, and the photograph data generation processing is finished. Then, the processing goes to a routine for application data generation processing.

[0063]FIG. 7 is a flowchart of the application data generation processing procedure in this embodiment. In step 701, the application data generation processor 104 of the picture-attached application data generation terminal apparatus 100 adds the facial portrait data embedded with the authentication mark to the application entry held in the memory, thus producing the application data.

[0064] In step 702, the application entry held in the memory is deleted, and the application data generation processing is finished. Then, the processing goes to a routine for hash-value-included-mark embedding processing.

[0065]FIG. 8 is a flowchart of the hash-value-included-mark embedding processing procedure. In step 801, the authentication information embedding processor 105 of the picture-attached application data generation terminal apparatus 100 sends the generated application data to the server 110, and request the server 110 to send the application data authentication information for authenticating the contents of the application data. The authentication information generation processor 112 of the server 110 calculates the hash value of the application data, and encrypts the hash value by use of the secret key of the server 110, thus generating the application data authentication information for authenticating the contents of the application data. Then, the processor sends the generated application data authentication information to the picture-attached application data generation terminal apparatus 100. The authentication information embedding processor 105 of the picture-attached application data generation terminal apparatus 100 receives the application data authentication information from the server 110.

[0066] In step 802, the application data expiration data is calculated by adding a predetermined period to the current date. In step 803, the application data authentication information is embedded in the local government mark image of sever 110, thus producing an authentication mark. In step 804, the generated authentication mark and the calculated application data expiration data are embedded in the generated application data, thus producing the picture-attached application data.

[0067]FIG. 9 shows a completed image of the picture-attached application in this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 9, since the picture-attached application data 900 includes the application authentication mark 904 embedded with the application data authentication information for authenticating the contents of the whole picture-attached application data 900, the substitution of the facial portrait data 901 or application entry 902 can be examined from the application data authentication information in the application authentication mark 904.

[0068] In addition, since the facial portrait data 901 includes the facial portrait authentication mark 903 embedded with the facial portrait authentication information for authenticating that the image data indicates the facial portrait of the applicant himself or herself, the facial portrait data 901 can be examined if it is substituted when the facial portrait data 901 is reused for the application processing of a driver's license, passport or the like.

[0069] A description will be made of the case when the facial portrait data generated in the picture-attached application data production processing is reused in other application processing in the picture-attached application data generation system according to this embodiment.

[0070] While the photograph data generation processing shown in FIG. 6 generates the photographed facial portrait data of the applicant using the camera built in the terminal apparatus, the facial portrait data generated in other picture-attached application data production processing is held in a recording medium such as IC card of the applicant, and when another application processing is made, the facial portrait data within the recording medium is entered by the facial portrait data input processor 106 of the terminal apparatus 100.

[0071] The facial portrait data verification request processor 107 of the terminal apparatus 100 supplies the inputted facial portrait data and the biometrics of the applicant who has entered the facial portrait data to the server 110, and requests the server 110 to verify that the image data of the facial portrait data indicates the facial portrait of the applicant.

[0072] The facial portrait data certifying processor 113 of the server 110 reads out the facial portrait authentication information of the facial portrait data that has been fed from the picture-attached application data production terminal apparatus 100, decrypts it, and extracts the hash value of the image data, the facial portrait data expiration date, and the biometrics from the facial portrait authentication information.

[0073] The facial portrait data verification processor 113 compares the hash value of the image data and the extracted hash value of the image data from the facial portrait authentication information, and checks that the image data is not substituted. Then, it compares the biometrics of the facial portrait authentication information with the biometrics of the applicant, thereby verifying that the image data indicates the facial portrait of the applicant. The result of the verification is transmitted to the picture-attached application data production terminal apparatus 100.

[0074] When the picture-attached application data production terminal apparatus 100 receives from the server 110 the verification result indicating that the image data of the facial portrait data is of the applicant, the processing goes to the application data generation processing of FIG. 7. The application data generation processor 104 adds the facial portrait data to the application entry held in the memory, thus producing the application data.

[0075] Thus, according to the system for generating the picture-attached application data according to this embodiment, since the private information of the applicant himself or herself is set as the application entry, and since the authentication information is embedded in the facial portrait data and application data, thus producing the picture-attached application data, the highly reliable picture-attached application data can be generated with high efficiency.

[0076] According to the invention, since the private information of the applicant is set as the application entry, and since the authentication information is embedded in the facial portrait data and application data, thus producing the picture-attached application data, the highly reliable picture-attached application data can be generated with high efficiency.

[0077] It should be further understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing description has been made on embodiments of the invention and that various changes and modifications may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for generating data of an application with a picture, comprising the steps of: authenticating that a person who makes said picture-attached application data is an applicant; acquiring private information to be identified by identification information offered by said applicant, and setting it as an application entry; embedding facial portrait authentication information for authenticating that an image data of a photographed facial portrait represents said applicant in the image data of the facial portrait of said applicant, thus producing facial portrait data of said applicant; adding said generated facial portrait data to said application entry set with said private information, thus producing application data; and embedding application data authentication information in said generated application data in order to authenticate the contents of said application data.
 2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of: inputting facial portrait data generated when other picture-attached application data is produced; verifying that said image data of the inputted facial portrait data represents said applicant by referring to said facial portrait authentication information in said inputted facial portrait data; and adding said verified facial portrait data to said application entry set with said private information, thus producing application data.
 3. A terminal apparatus for generating data of an application with a picture, comprising: an applicant identification processor for authenticating that a person who makes said picture-attached application data is an applicant; an application entry processor for acquiring private information identified by identification information offered by said applicant from a private information management apparatus, and setting it as an application entry; a photograph data generation processor for embedding facial portrait authentication information for authenticating that an image data of a photographed facial portrait represents said applicant in the image data of the facial portrait of said applicant, thus producing facial portrait data of said applicant; an application data generation processor for adding said generated facial portrait data to said application entry set with said private information, thus producing application data; and an authentication information embedding processor for embedding application data authentication information for authenticating the contents of said application data in said generated application data.
 4. A terminal apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising: a facial portrait data input processor for entering facial portrait data generated when other picture-attached application data is generated; and a facial portrait data verification request processor for requesting said private information management apparatus to verify if said image data of said inputted facial portrait data represents said applicant, so that the facial portrait data verified by said private information management apparatus is added to said applicant entry set with said private information, thus producing said application data.
 5. A private information management apparatus for managing private information used when picture-attached application data is generated, comprising: a private information supply processor for reading private information identified by identification information offered by an applicant who files picture-attached application data from a private information database, and supplying it to a picture-attached application data generation terminal apparatus; and an authentication information generation processor for generating application data authentication information for authenticating the contents of application data generated by adding facial portrait data to facial portrait authentication information for authenticating that the facial portrait data represents said applicant and the application entry set with said private information.
 6. A private information management apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising a facial portrait data verification processor for verifying that image data in the facial portrait data transmitted from said picture-attached application data generation terminal apparatus represents said applicant by referring to the facial portrait authentication information of the facial portrait data.
 7. A program provided in a picture-attached application data generation terminal apparatus for generating data of an application with a picture, including codes for accomplishing the following functions on a computer: an applicant identification processing function for authenticating that a person who makes data of an application with a picture is an applicant; an application entry processing function for acquiring private information identified by identification information offered by said applicant from a private information management apparatus, and setting it as an application entry; a photograph data generation processing function for embedding facial portrait authentication information for authenticating that a image data of a facial portrait represents said applicant in the image data of the facial portrait of said applicant, thus producing facial portrait data of said applicant; an application data generation processing function for adding said generated facial portrait data to said application entry set with said private information, thus producing application data; and an authentication information embedding processing function for embedding application data authentication information for authenticating the contents of said application data in said generated application data.
 8. A program according to claim 7, said program further including codes for accomplishing the following functions on said computer: a facial portrait data input processing function for inputting facial portrait data generated when other picture-attached application data is produced; a facial portrait data verification request processing function for requesting a private information management apparatus to verify that the image data of said inputted facial portrait data represents said applicant; and an application data generation processing function for adding said facial portrait data verified by said private information management apparatus to said application entry set with said private information, thus producing said application data.
 9. A program provided in a private information management apparatus for managing private information used when picture-attached application data is produced, including codes for accomplishing the following functions on a computer: a private information supply processing function for reading private information identified by identification information offered by an applicant who files data of an application with a picture from a private information database, and supplying it to a picture-attached application data generation terminal apparatus; and an authentication information generation processing function for generating application data authentication information for authenticating the contents of application data produced by adding a facial portrait data to facial portrait authentication information used to authenticate that the image data of the facial portrait represents said applicant and an application entry set with said private information set.
 10. A program according to claim 9, said program further including codes for accomplishing the following function on said computer: a facial portrait data verification processing function for verifying that an image data of a facial portrait data transmitted from said picture-attached application data generation terminal apparatus represents said applicant by referring to the facial portrait authentication information of the facial portrait data. 